I’m Mike Vardy, and I help people build a better relationship with time — not by controlling it, but by working with it. Through my writing, courses, and community, I explore how intention and attention shape a more meaningful life — one rooted in the original idea of productiveness over productivity.
ATTN: It's Closing Time
Hello Reader,
The song “Closing Time” by Semisonic is a tune I heard countless times when I’d go out to a club in my mid-twenties and early thirties. Even in recent years, it’d echo in a bar as the last call was declared by the bar staff.
I’d always thought is was just about getting out of the joint because it was closing time. But it turns out there’s a deeper meaning to the song.
The song subtly touches upon the concept of birth and new beginnings. It was was written by lead singer Dan Wilson as he anticipated the birth of his child. The idea of one thing ending (time within the womb) and another thing beginning (time within the world) isn’t unlike the ending of a year to make way for the start of another – no matter when you start your year.
But there’s even more to the song.
Delving deeper into its lyrics reveals profound insights about transitions, endings, and new beginnings, making it particularly resonant as we transition from one year to another.
- The song’s chorus, “I know who I want to take me home,” can be interpreted as a metaphor for self-knowledge and determination. As we step into the new year, it prompts us to consider who we are and what we truly desire. It’s a call to align our actions with our deepest values and aspirations.
- The recurring line, “Closing time, open all the doors and let you out into the world,” could be considered an urging to step out of one’s comfort zone. As we bid farewell to one year, this line invites us to embrace the unknown adventures that the new year holds.
- “Every new beginning comes from some other beginning’s end,” is a line that captures the essence of life’s continuous cycle. It’s particularly relevant when reflecting on the transition from one year to the next. As this year ends, it’s not just the conclusion of a chapter but also the seed from which the new year grows. This perspective encourages us to embrace endings not as finalities but as precursors to new opportunities and experiences. You can view it as a call to view change not with apprehension but with optimism and curiosity.
- The lyric, “Time for you to go out to the places you will be from,” offers a reflective look at the journey of life and the inevitable changes that shape our identity. As we move into a new year, it invites us to consider how our experiences from the past year (and years) have contributed to who we are now. It’s a reminder that our past, with all its triumphs and challenges, is a significant part of our story. This reflection can motivate us to make conscious choices in the new year, ones that align with the legacy we wish to create for ourselves.
At its core, “Closing Time” symbolizes the inevitable passage of time and the constant presence of change.
So as a new year unfolds, take inspiration from this 1998 classic. Let’s open new doors, cherish the transitions, and craft a year where we are not only productive but also true to ourselves and our paths.
Here’s to a year of purpose, patience, and progress. Here’s to a year of productiveness.
See you later,
Mike
P.S. If you could take a moment before closing this email to fill out my audience survey, I’d appreciate it. Your feedback and insights will help me craft the kind of content you’d like to see in the year ahead. Click here to go to the survey.
The Practice of Productiveness
I’m Mike Vardy, and I help people build a better relationship with time — not by controlling it, but by working with it. Through my writing, courses, and community, I explore how intention and attention shape a more meaningful life — one rooted in the original idea of productiveness over productivity.
The Lantern by Mike Vardy Vol. 1, Issue 46 | January 10, 2026 Hello Reader, Legacy is often treated like a project—something to be engineered, safeguarded, and eventually revealed. A thing we can shape in advance if we make the right moves and say the right things. But that belief quietly distorts our relationship with time. It suggests that time is a resource we can spend toward a future outcome we control, rather than a relationship we’re meant to live inside of—moment by moment. When...
Hello Reader, A week ago, the calendar changed.Not your life—just the number at the top of the page. That distinction matters more than we admit. The first seven days of a year are often loud: intentions declared, plans announced, energy projected forward. But a week later, something quieter shows up. Reality. Habit. Drift. Friction. Familiarity. This is where the year actually begins. Not with resolution, but with recognition.Not with ambition, but with awareness. So here’s a better question...
Hello Reader, We’re less than a week into the year, which means this is usually the moment when people start wondering why things don’t feel clear yet. That’s understandable—but it’s also a misunderstanding. An epiphany isn’t a sudden realization that changes everything. More often, it’s a quiet recognition of something that’s been asking for your attention for a while. Nothing new. Just newly noticed. There’s an important difference here. Realization feels dramatic. It arrives all at once...